Returned
by Fiara Fantasy
Summary: Vala comes back to the SGC with serious injuries she will tell no one about. What really happened is worse then they ever imagined. And what it leads to will change the universe forever. Rating up for chapter 7 and all further chapters.
1. Arrival

**Returned**

**Disclaimer: All characters recognized are not my property.**

UNAUTHORISED GATE ACTIVATION!

This managed to jerk Daniel out of his reverie in the world of three thousand years ago enough to run towards the gate room. He reached the observation room just as the gate activated and threw the wall behind it into a brilliant blue shade.

All was still for a moment then Walter noticed, "Sir, this is originating from an unknown galaxy."

"Is it an attack?" General Landry inquired.

"I'm not detecting anything out of the ordinary," Walter replied looking anxious.

"Open the gate," Landry finally said. The Iris spun open as the SF's and personnel watched attentively. Then a body flew through the event horizon and hit the metal ramp tumbling to a stop and lying motionless.

The figure pulled herself to her knees and everyone saw it was Vala Mal Doran. They also saw the deep gash across her stomach that was pouring blood. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed against the grating.

Daniel was halfway to the ramp by the time General Landry yelled for a med team to the gate room STAT. He knelt beside her and checked her neck for a pulse and found one although it was very weak. He pressed a palm to her stomach to try and slow the bleeding but crimson blood continued to pour through his fingers.

The med team arrived and pulled her away from him leaving him standing alone on the steel ramp, his hands soaked in her blood.

6 hours later

"How are they?" inquired General Landry as he walked into Dr. Lam's tiny cubicle she called an office. She stood and faced him.

"Well _she_ got out of surgery two hours ago and _he_ hasn't moved since," she said as an answer to his question, sounding tired.

"What are Mal Doran's chances?" he asked softly, staring as Daniel Jackson brushed a lock of raven hair away from Vala's unconscious face, oblivious to the rest of the world.

"She'll make it but it will take sometime." Dr. Lam continued, "She had more internal damage from that gash than was immediately apparent, a minor concussion, and a few of her ribs were cracked. If you want my opinion I'd say she was beaten." She sighed. "What a mess."

"Let me know when she comes to," said the general as he turned to leave.

"Will do sir," said Lam as she turned back to her work.

"Oh and get some sleep. That's an order." He called over his shoulder.

"Yes sir." Dr. Lam said and turned to leave.

_Sg1_

Daniel still couldn't believe she was _here._ He couldn't stop staring at her pale face, peaceful even though it was slightly creased by pain. She was alive. He had never let on how much he missed her, never shared the dreams that always plagued his sleep or all the times he would swear he heard her voice but turned to find he was alone.

A soft moan cut through the silence of the infirmary. Vala stirred and opened her blue-gray eyes and blinked then noticed him. He had never seen her gaze look so open. Whoever said eyes were windows to the soul couldn't have been more correct.

"Daniel?" she whispered, "Is this real?"

Daniel didn't think he could answer so he wrapped his arms around her, careful not to disturb the bandages on her stomach, and buried his lips against her hair. She took a shuddering breath and clung to him just like she had after she'd died for the first time. He felt her take another shaky breath and realized it hurt her to breath. He knew he'd kill whoever had done this to her and enjoy it.

Daniel felt her shudder and leaned back to look in her eyes. She had them shut but silent tears ran down her face and he wiped them away with his fingers. Vala opened her eyes and they were full of so much emotion he forgot to breath. Neither noticed Dr. Lam come up behind them as he bent to kiss her.

_Sg1_

Sam, Cameron, and Teal'c stood in the doorway of the infirmary watching the two people they had all come to call friends finally content in each other's arms.

"You know Jackson thought none of us knew about how he felt," Cameron stated without moving his gaze from he odd pair.

"Of course he did Cam. That's just who he is," replied Sam watching her surrogate brother and smiling for a reason unknown to Cameron.

Teal'c most wisely said, "I believe it would be unwise to stay as Daniel Jackson would be most displeased to know we were here."

"I think you're right Teal'c," Cameron agreed and the trio of friends turned and left the other two to the solitude that they didn't realize they didn't have.

_Sg1_

"General?"

"Yes Carolyn?"

"She's awake but theirs no rush. It'll probably take a good 10 minutes for them to realize they're in public and come up for air." The General laughed, not really surprised.

"Alright, I'll take my time." He cut the connection and shook his head. "Jackson what have you gotten yourself into this time?"


	2. Meetings

**Returned Chapter Two: Meetings **

**Anything you can recognize is not mine. I'd like it if it was but I don't have that much money. ;)**

"Well Danny-boy, I hear you got yourself a girl."

"Jack!" Daniel walked around the side of his desk and embraced his friend quickly, slapping him on the back. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine, just thought it had been a while since I saw you guys. And I can tell you're all better just like Sam said." Jack finished, enjoying the confused look on Daniel's face. "You're not depressed anymore, right?"

"I wasn't depressed," Daniel said looking more confused then ever.

"Well from what the other members of SG1 tell me that isn't so." Jack grinned when Daniel shook his head in exasperation. "So do I get to meet this girlfriend of yours?"

"She's sleeping. Dr. Lam kicked me out of the infirmary until fifteen minutes from now."

"Oh I think I can bother you that long, just to make sure I'm not losing my touch. Have you really been counting the minutes?"

Daniel groaned.

Sg1

Daniel and Jack were almost to the door of the infirmary when they heard the yelling. "I am so sick of this! Look, I am standing just fine by myself. I don't need your permission. Go away!"

Daniel shook his head and turned the corner to see Vala standing up in the center of the room, barefooted and wearing blue infirmary scrubs that didn't quite hide the amount of bandages wrapped around her torso. She turned and noticed them and broke into one of her ear-to-ear grins.

"Daniel! Can you please tell these lunatics I'm fine?"

Daniel grinned slightly and crossed his arms over his chest. "Two days ago you had your stomach cut open all the way across. Far as I know that doesn't count as fine."

Vala snorted and crossed her arms over her stomach but quickly dropped them back to her sides, paling slightly. Daniel moved so he was standing beside her incase she passed out. The still slightly annoyed looking nurse moved to grab what looked like a painkiller but Vala shook her head.

"I'm not taking anymore of that stuff," she insisted when the nurse moved closer. "The last thing I need is to start seeing things again," she muttered quietly.

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Vala's eyes went wide and she bit her lower lip, like she always did when she was nervous. "Every time they give me more of that... whatever it is I see _them_ again, so I took out the IV."

Jack grinned behind them unnoticed. He could tell from the short five minutes he'd seen the pair in the same room that Daniel had it bad... and had his hands full. The seeing them part intrigued him though so he held back the many taunts that rested on the tip of his tongue.

"You took out the IV." Daniel stated, not quite believing what he was hearing.

In the background Jack fought back a smirk; realizing this Vala might give him a run for his money for the reputation of worst patient. Vala simply nodded at Daniel, obviously not noticing the looks she was getting from everyone in the room.

"Alright," Daniel sighed, "If you would just sit down and stop trying to kill yourself there's someone I'd like you to meet."

Vala complied for once and sat down then noticed Jack. "Who are you?" she asked, sounding curious.

"Jack O'Neill, glad to meet the person that kicked Daniel's ass on the Prometheus." Vala shook the hand he offered her and glanced at Daniel, who now had his head in his hands.

"What?" she asked.

"Of course the first thing Jack brings up is the Prometheus," Daniel sighed, turning to glare at Jack.

"Nice to know I'm not losing my touch Danny-boy," Jack replied, clapping Daniel on the shoulder.

"Oh? A pet name?" Vala asked, starting to move to lie on her stomach, but thought better of it.

"No, it's a nick-name. They're different." Jack said, a faintly bemused look on his face.

"Oh," she replied, smiling at Daniel.

Daniel blinked at them both and said, "Everything both of you are going to say is just going to humiliate me further. Isn't it?"

"Yes!" They both answered at the same time, and then started to laugh.

Daniel groaned.

Sg1

After an hour Vala had started to sway slightly while she sat up so Dr. Lam came over to shoo her two visitors out so Vala could sleep.

For once she didn't fight over it. She quickly hugged Jack goodbye, since he had to leave to go back to his desk in Washington. Daniel motioned for Jack to go ahead of him then turned back to Vala who was actually lying down without a shouting match.

Daniel wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her goodnight, glad that she could now sleep without screaming her lungs out. He turned to leave then heard a sleepy, "'Night Daniel," from behind him. He smiled at her.

"'Night Vala."

Sg1

Daniel nearly walked into Jack when he left the infirmary and instantly noticed the knowing smirk on Jack's face.

"Sam was right. You got it bad." Jack said as they walked to wards the elevator that would take Jack back to the surface.

Daniel sighed but didn't say anything to disagree.

"Has she said anything about what happened to her?" Jack asked, remembering a point in the conversation when he'd asked how she'd gotten the cut on her stomach. Her eyes had gotten cold, she'd clenched her jaw, and didn't answer.

"Nothing. I don't even know where she went or how she got back. She would never have gone through any of this if I had listened to her," Daniel had a guilty expression on his face that had become all too familiar to Jack over the years as they'd worked together.

"Daniel, believe it or not you're not responsible for everyone in this galaxy."

"Jack if I had listened to her..."

"Then what? She would have done it anyway. I've only known her a few hours but she strikes me as the type of person that knows what they're doing."

"She is, Jack. But still..."

"Daniel, if you keep blaming yourself for everything that ever goes wrong your head will explode. And I severely doubt anyone wants your massive brain stuck to the ceiling."

Daniel gave a short laugh at his friends' typical infantile comments. "Well when she does talk, this time I'll listen."


	3. Trust

**Return Chapter 3: Trust **

**Well, this one was hard! I really have no idea where I'm taking this. I think it's getting kind of long for the original one-shot! This is three days after the last chapter's events, just so you know. **

It was the midnight shift on base. Almost everyone was home or at least off- duty, if they weren't off world or stuck in the infirmary. Luckily the infirmary was currently empty. Vala had been released after promising she wouldn't run, spar, and a number of other things. Daniel grinned to himself. At least he wouldn't have to put up with her innuendos for a little while. She had put up a fuss about that particular one, probably just for the sake of arguing and seeing how many people she could embarrass. She was currently asleep, with the lights on; she wouldn't sleep without them anymore unless someone was with her. Just another thing that told him how close she'd come to the breaking point, the point where you just can't take it anymore.

Daniel swung his feet up to rest on the desk, balancing a mythology book on his knees. This was one habit no one knew of but Jack, and he'd sworn him to secrecy on it. Surprisingly Jack had only used it to blackmail him once, and it hadn't even been that bad.

Daniel was just getting interested in a story about Prometheus (the god not the ship) bringing fire to the human race when his sensitive linguist's ears caught the shrieking. The book was left unnoticed on his desk. He recognized the screams. He opened Vala's door to see her face down on the bed, silent now. He walked over to her quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed. While running his fingers through her hair he noticed her muscles were all tense as if she was in pain. She probably was since she had resolutely refused any pain meds, and had never hinted who "them" was, not even to lie about it.

Vala suddenly screamed again then started awake, eyes quickly scanning the room. She twisted and backed against the wall, as far from him as she could get.

"Vala? It's me," Daniel said hesitantly, they never knew how she would react after a "dream". There had started to be fewer of them, but then she'd started again and it was no less intense.

Vala blinked and started to focus her eyes on him, coming out of it. She suddenly spun and kicked the wall hard, cursing under her breath in a language Daniel didn't recognize.

"You OK?" he asked, moving to stand behind her slumped form, running a hand down her back.

"I'd probably be better if I could sleep through the night," she answered, leaning back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her stomach just above the healing gash. They'd gotten used to the cuddling, but hadn't gone any farther since she had first realized that he wasn't just in her head.

They stood like this a little while in silence then Daniel asked, "Want to tell me about it?"

"No," she said, all emotion suddenly gone from her voice and posture.

"None of us can help you if you won't _talk_!" Daniel replied, starting to get frustrated.

"Who says I _need _your _help_!" she snapped, pulling out of his grasp and walking a little ways away.

"You can barely sleep without screaming, you barely eat, and you spend half your time staring into space. Oh, and nobody knows why!" Daniel knew he shouldn't be almost yelling at her but the not knowing was driving him nuts. In some ways seeing her like this was worse then not knowing where she was. Now she was standing right in front of him and still wouldn't let him help her.

Vala's eyes glittered with fury. He didn't think he'd ever seen her this angry. She stalked forward until they were nose-to-nose, the way they usually fought.

"You really want to know?" she hissed, more like a challenge then a question. Her blue eyes glittered up at him but he couldn't read her feelings anymore.

"Yes," he answered voice softer now.

"Why? What do you really want?" Her eyes were confused, almost sad.

"What do you mean?"

"What planet's side of the road am I going to wake up on after I tell?" she replied, voice bitter now.

He slid his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes, blue on blue. "I'm not going to hurt you. Trust me." He moved his fingers up to her cheek. She leaned against his hand and shut her eyes.

"I want to."

He bent and kissed her, gently pulling her closer to him. She leaned into it, kissing him back tenderly. He pulled away slowly, not letting her go just yet.

Her eyes widened when he picked her up. He set her back down on the bed then sat beside her, pulling her into his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder, really not sure what he was doing.

"Now tell me. I'll listen."


	4. Problems

**Return chapter four: Problem**

**I'm sorry this took so long! (ducksfromtomatos) I've been writing in another fandom and I have many other excuses but you probably don't want to hear them. I promise I'll update quicker now! **

**This is the big chapter where we actually find a snatch of a plot. Enjoy!**

Daniel's words were met with silence. Vala was still in his arms; only the steady beat of her heart against his chest told him she was even alive.

Vala opened her mouth to speak then started to scream.

_Stargate_

SG1 waited with Landry in the briefing room for Dr. Lam to show. Nobody knew what was going on. The only sound was Cam steadily tapping his fingers on the table, having given up on making Daniel talk.

Dr. Lam walked in looking less then pleased.

"Ok! What's going on?" Cameron asked, sitting up from his slouched position.

"Since I gather he hasn't said anything I'll start from the beginning. Daniel convinced Vala to tell him what happened to her. When she opened her mouth to speak she started screaming, went into convulsions, and didn't stop until she passed out. Any questions?" Lam glanced around at the stunned faces. "Good. Now, I think I know why."

_Stargate_

"So what your sayin' is that Vala's got some chip in her brain repressing her memories?" Cameron looked very confused.

"One the chip is microscopic, so technically it's a micro chip. Two she obviously remembers the event, so the device more like discourages her from talking about it using pain."

"Do we recognize the technology at all?" Sam asked, staring at a picture that made little sense to the rest of them.

"From what I've seen, no. This is something new. And judging by her state when she came back, it isn't good."

"Dr. Lam report to the infirmary," The speakers blared suddenly.

"She's awake," Lam said and stood up.

Daniel was already out the door.


	5. Awakening

**Returned Chapter Five: Awakening**

**A/N- Ok. I'm lousy at updating regularly. Good thing is my Muse has given me a plot, and this is not ending anytime soon. So you have much to look forward too. And I have the next chapter mostly written for a change so you won't have long to wait (for once). If any of you are still reading this, please review. It makes me happy.**

**Also the rating on this is probably going up in the future, so just so you're warned.**

Daniel was sitting beside her when Vala woke up. His eyes were worried and was that anger?

"Hey," he said softly, one hand coming up to hold hers.

Vala tried to smile at him but her head hurt way too badly to really pull it of. "Daniel, what happened?"

"How are you feeling?" He asked instead.

Vala's eyes narrowed, turning to hard steel. "Don't try to avoid the question Daniel. I know all the games. You can't trick me."

Dr. Lam walked in before Daniel could speak.

"Vala, how are you feeling?"

"Like I've just been run over by an Al'Kesh at top speed. Will you both stop asking and answer me? What happened?" She yanked her hand out of Daniel's and crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze steely.

Dr. Lam pursed her lips. "Alright. When you were about to tell Dr. Jackson what had happened to you during your disappearance, you started to scream and went into convulsions for a while before you passed out."

Vala stared at her wide eyed for a moment. "And there is a reason."

Lam sighed. "Yes there is."

_Stargate _

"So there's a chip in my head that won't let me tell you what happened and we don't know this technology or what it can do. And to top it all off nicely, Landrey has ordered that I am to be confined to base and under a guard at all times."

"Right." Dr. Lam's voice still sounded tense.

"Well that's just great isn't it? Second time's the charm and all that."

Daniel noticed her hands were shaking as she said the cheerful words and slid one of his over to hold them. She didn't look his way but clung to his fingers tightly.

_Stargate _

The infirmary lights were off; it was only lit by what flooded in from the corridor and the few monitors still running when Vala's eyes snapped open.

She sat up, stood, and walked towards the door, but her gait was wrong, too menacing. Something was wrong.

The unsuspecting guard found his head smashed into the wall he'd been staring at quickly followed by the rest of him. He was out too quickly to see his raven haired attacker and blood was dripping down his face. But it didn't matter anyway. Vala was already gone.


	6. Damage

**Returned Chapter Six: Damage**

**AN: Wow! A quick update! I've upped the rating to T but it's going to go up to M next chapter. So be warned because this is going to be a dark story. **

Walter was surprised to feel a tap on his shoulder. He turned and was more surprised to feel a fist smash into his face so hard it snapped his neck back against his seat. He groggily saw a dark figure dialing the gate and reached to sound the alarm just before the world faded.

_SG1_

Vala barely noticed the alarms begin to sound. Vala was barely even Vala anymore. She ran up to the gate and leaped through, now truly gone.

_SG1_

The infirmary was very quiet. Walter's broken nose had been set and the guard was hooked up to life support, the bleeping monitors the only sound.

Sam was dealing with the mechanical aftermath of Vala's escape, but the Cam and Teal'c had been sitting staring at an entirely unmoving Daniel for what seemed like hours.

"They've got her again. The one's that tortured her. They've got her again."

Daniel's voice was quiet, but sudden enough that Cam started and Teal'c looked up from Kel' no' reem.

"Jackson we don't even know where she went. Don't you think that's jumping the gun just a little bit?"

Daniel turned around then and Cameron would have backed away from him if he hadn't known him for almost a year. Daniel's eyes burned.

"Vala has an alien chip in her brain. She nearly killed a guard and blew up half the SGC systems to get out of here. Does that sound like her?"

Teal'c spoke, soothing the tension. "There is much we do not know about Vala MalDuran and I believe she is capable of more then she chooses to let us believe, but this does not sound like her doing."

Daniel nodded sharply and turned away again.

"I'm going to get her back." He growled, and stalked out before either one of his teammates could say a word.


	7. Red

**Returned Chapter Seven: Red**

**This is where we get to the plot. As you'll see it's a bit dark. I think this is getting better. Please tell me what you think!**

It had been a month now. A month of repairs and re-repairs, nothing Daniel was good at. He had catalogued everything in his office, done every mission report, and climbed out of the two month behind hole he'd been in all in one month.

The stranded teams were coming home again and things were starting to go smoothly when the gate began to dial itself and the alarms began to screech.

SG1

Daniel ran into the gate room just as it finished dialing. The iris was closed and SF's were flooding in to take up position.

Walter spoke over the com. "It's from the same galaxy as before. Be careful."

The iris opened. Everyone was holding their breath without noticing. Then something changed.

The blue glow of the gate flickered and flashed like it was phasing out of existence. Sparks flew off of the machinery holding it in place and sent several technicians running from the room. Then the horizon just vanished.

Several SF's shifted, confused, and Daniel could see Sam and Walter gaping at the readings they must be getting from the computers up in the room behind him.

Without any warning red light filled the Stargate in an inferno, but there was complete silence like everyone had suddenly gone deaf.

Two beings stepped through.

They were tall and white, glowing with light and aching beauty. Their features were long and elegant and their robes were the deep pure red of the event horizon behind them that was now frozen as still and smooth as glass.

What caught Daniel's eyes was the figure with her head bowed standing behind them.

Her hair was done up off her neck and held with red, jeweled clips, long waving tendrils hung down around her face. Her wrists were clasped together in away that looked artful but it was obvious that they were tied. Around each ankle was a thick, red band that looked like decorative shackles without the chain. Around her neck was a jeweled collar with a long, thin chain held in one of the beings slender hands. It was a leash like she was an animal.

The beings stopped walking and she knelt in front of them meekly. Two pairs of red eyes surveyed the gate room and all the people in it.

"_We have returned_."

The voices boomed and snapped with power, sounding in your mind as well as your ears. Deep and laced with cruelty, the tones struck fear in everyone who heard. But the beings expressions were neutral and pleasant, as if they had just commented on the weather.

"_It has been so long since we were here. Things have changed. So many new things to play with_."

The being holding Vala's leash smiled and tugged on it a little.

"_You all seem to have forgotten. No great surprise. You are hardly intelligent. But you make lovely pets_."

"What do you want?" Daniel felt sick, but years of horrible first contact situations forced him to speak calmly. Maybe this could be fixed.

He doubted it.

The beings smiled and stared at him. "_You are amusing for now. But you look like you will be bad pets. You have been without us too long. Shall we show you our power_?"

Daniel was at a loss for words. What could you say to that? "N…no. You don't need to show me."

Their wide red eyes narrowed. "_Bad pet. We will show you_."

Daniel felt his neck turning without his control and saw the SF to his right stand suddenly, dropping his weapon. Then he was ripped apart. He didn't even have time to scream.

No one spoke or moved, too shocked by this. Then the dismembered parts sprang up as if held in someone's hands and reassembled themselves, knitting together in all the right places as if it had never happened.

Daniel couldn't blink or tear his eyes away. No one could; all victims to this show of power.

A whole human being stood where there had been parts like a puzzle moments before. He was soaking in blood and looked dazed but he was alive and breathing.

The beings smiled. "_Speak_."

"Wha… What did you do to me?" He stammered, reaching for his weapon. It skittered away.

The beings let Daniel turn to face them. "_See? See what resistance will cause? We can take your heart right from your chest and hold it in our hands. We can re-write your mind if we feel like it, stealing the soul you think you have. But you're just toys_."

Daniel couldn't speak.

The beings leveled their eyes on him. "_Must we show you more_?"

AN: What? You say the cliffie is evil? And don't I know it! I'm working on the next chapter right no so don't hate me too much!


	8. Gone

**Returned Chapter Eight: Gone**

**This has to be my quickest update ever. Just personal bragging, look away. ;)**

"_Yes we must_."

The being on the right turned to Vala, brushing long fingers over the cuffs on her wrists and unhooking the chain from the back of her neck to drop it on the floor. Vala's hands dropped to her sides.

"_Show them what you can do pet_."

Vala walked forward towards Daniel, every step she took like a machine. Her eyes stared straight in front of her like a doll's; no spark of any emotion.

"Vala…" he began, reaching out one hand, palm up. Maybe he could make her remember or snap out of whatever they had done. He had to.

Her mechanical motion didn't falter; no emotion or recognition showing on her face and one smooth step brought her in reach.

He could almost touch her, but her hand suddenly came down on his forearm hard and he couldn't bite back a scream when the bones gave with an audible snap. She didn't stop. Another inhumanly deliberate kick had him on his back and her hand was cutting off his air.

Vala was not fighting like Vala. Vala fought dirty if anyone ever had. She was cunning and clever with her moves unless she was backed into a corner, and sometimes even then she got herself out of it without breaking a sweat. She taunted the enemy and acted like it was all a game in most cases. And, according to Vala's personality, she should probably be straddling his lap while she strangled him.

This was nothing like Vala. She wasn't this strong or this cold. And even with the blackness tunneling his vision he could see her eyes. There was nothing there.

She was gone.

**Yes. I know it's pathetically short. But, it just didn't fit into the next chapter and I was quite evil last time with the cliffie. So here's another one. ;) I will update soon again!**


	9. Lost

Returned Chapter Nine: Lost

I am so sorry for the insanely long wait. Late this summer we went through a death in the family and we've only really just stopped dealing with the fallout. But I'll be back writing now and I've had time to plan out the plot so you have much to look forward to!

Big special thanks to HAZMOT for her thoughtful PM. _hugs_

When Daniel opened his eyes the ceiling was familiar; the infirmary.

No one was there this time. He stood up and winced when something pulled in his neck.

Neck. Strangling. VALA!

He started to run towards the gate room.

Daniel found the gate room in shambles. Sparks were flying unchecked and wires trailed over the floor like vines cut from a tree. His foot skidded out from under him. He looked down.

Blood.

The world spun for a moment but he fought it down. There would be time for it later…

…Maybe…

…Probably not.

"Daniel!"

He turned to see Sam just coming through the door.

"Hi. What's going on?"

"You've been out a few hours. We've started repairs but once again they're going to take a while without outside help from our allies…"

"…that we can't contact," Daniel finished for her, staring at the ruined mess of the gate room.

"Yeah." She shrugged, her characteristic _yeah, we are that screwed_ shrug.

They stared at the wreckage for a moment, contemplating more months of repairs so soon after they'd been completed the last time.

"Come on. Landry wanted to see us after you woke up."

* * *

The room was silent, its occupants still as they stared vacantly in different directions, no chatter or squirming like usual. Landry was on the phone in the other room with the door shut; oppressive. Everything felt like a horror movie.

He came out and sat down, staring at all of them.

"Any clues?"

"Rather the lack thereof sir." Sam glanced over the readouts in her hands.

"The airman they… tore apart suffered no ill effects. You'd never know anything had happened to him with any scan we know of. We were unable to tell where the aliens left to this time, but we know they came from the same galaxy Vala gated to during her first escape."

"It wasn't an escape attempt. They called her."

Heads turned to look at Daniel who was rubbing at his eyes, seeming distracted.

"What do you mean by that?"

"She wasn't just randomly trying to get out. And if she'd been in control at the time that guard wouldn't still be in the infirmary. They sent a signal to the microchip and told her to come."

"But why? What can they possibly want with Vala?"

"You heard them. We make _such lovely pets_. I saw her eyes when she attacked me. She's completely blank. Either they're suppressing her or they've destroyed her _soul_ as they like to call it. Either way they wanted control of her."

"How could they do that, though? It would take technology…"

"We saw how small and powerful their tech was already. They could be using nanos or even particles. The really interesting thing that I was getting at is that our new scanners, the ones put in to prevent anymore invisible infiltrators or attacks, managed to get a reading on the aliens before they fried."

Sam paused staring at her file on the table.

"Well?" Mitchell finally asked.

"Those scanners scanned every wavelength, energy, every thing you can think of. We got nothing. They might as well not have even been there."

"What about what they did to the gate?"

"We got nothing from that either. The second it shifted to red it was like it didn't exist anymore. Either they have a completely new type of energy or I don't know. I have nothing to work with here."

"So… what you're saying is that we have no way to detect them."

"Yep. Unless we find something I've missed, I have nothing to go on. And there doesn't seem to be a way to defend from them."

The horror movie silence was back. Daniel stood and walked to the window, his back to the rest of them.

"So we're losing this before we've begun, aren't we?"


End file.
